The chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects has been re-elected Jan Kasl

Prague – Jan Kasl has been reelected as the chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA) for another year, having presided over the chamber since 2019. ČTK reported this today based on a press release from ČKA. According to the release, the chamber aims to focus in the upcoming period on legislation and the everyday conditions of architects' practice, as well as topics such as affordable housing, climate resilience of settlements, the quality of public procurement processes, digitalization, and the use of artificial intelligence in the field.

"A constant task is generally to improve the conditions for our work and to enhance the perception of architects' role in society. We want to be perceived not as 'experts on facades', but as specialists in creating a comprehensive environment. A lot of work awaits us in the area of legislation – the state is preparing yet another, the 13th amendment to the building law and other new regulations. Information modeling (BIM) is gaining unstoppable momentum, as is the use of artificial intelligence, for which we are not all prepared," stated Kasl.

Markéta Zdebská became the first vice-chair of ČKA, and David Mateásko became the second vice-chair. The elected leadership of ČKA wants to promote stable conditions for the performance of the profession and strengthen the architect's role in shaping a quality built environment during the upcoming period. A part of ČKA's priorities will also be the development of lifelong learning, deepening cooperation with architecture schools, and greater attention to equal opportunities in the profession.

Kasl leads the architectural office JK Architekti, but has also been engaged in politics since the 1990s. He joined the ODS in 1991 and served as the mayor of Prague from 1998 to 2002. In 2002, he founded the European Democrats party and was its chairman until 2006. In 2014, he was supposed to head the ANO electoral list for the municipal elections to the Prague council. However, this did not happen, and he ran as an independent for the association that transformed from the former European Democrats. After failing in these elections, he left politics.